235 civilians, including school children, trapped in snow, were rescued by the troops of the White Knight Corps of the Indian Army and J&K Police from the 14,000 ft high Sinthan Pass in the Kishtwar district of the Jammu division, said an Army spokesman on Monday.
These civilians travelling in 38 vehicles on Sunday were caught in heavy snowfall in the road that links the Kishtwar with the Anantnag district in south Kashmir. They were travelling on the mountainous road ignoring the snow alert of the weather department.
The spokesman said that the civilians were stranded in severe weather conditions.
The White Knight Corps wrote on X; “On 15 March information was received regarding 235 civilians and 38 vehicles stranded at Sinthan Pass in the general area of Kishtwar, due to heavy snowfall and severe weather conditions. Troops of @Whiteknight_IA were immediately mobilised to launch a swift rescue operation despite treacherous terrain and relentless snowfall”.
“Braving extreme weather and snow-blocked roads, rescue teams reached Sinthan Top and stranded civilians were provided hot meals, drinking water and shelter. Repair and recovery teams restored mobility of stranded vehicles, while passengers from unrecoverable vehicles were safely evacuated. Medical teams rendered assistance and essential medicines to those in need”.
“The operation concluded successfully, with all civilians and vehicles safely escorted to safety. The mission witnessed seamless coordination between the Indian Army, J&K Police and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), reaffirming the Indian Army’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives in the harshest conditions”, the White Knight Corps added.